Our Call from God

We are seeing a call to live out love, faith and hope in a world of institutional structures that speak hate, abuse and anger.

As the United States of America dares to peal off the bandage of compromise and silence that has kept racism underground but very much alive and growing. The world watches as things unfold and a new era is begun, through a revival of conscience and principles and a willingness to be. Racism has haunted international relations and development dynamics in its various forms, from the rise of nationalism, the reflection of colonialism and imperialistic dispossession a people of identity, name, culture and dignity. These atrocities which once publicly where part of institutional policy are now privately the foundation of national and in part international culture that is used to limit, denigrate and justify the murder of people of colour. The murder of George Floyd is only part of the killing that occurs the destruction of the flesh. The more critical annihilation is the emotional, psychological, social and financial death that racism has committed through its agents and institutions  that is as real as a knee on your neck.  

Internationally this revival of conscience and the call to choose sides has awaken the sensitivity of international dynamics. The world is also called to address the cancer of racism that has been treated with fear and polite silence around the world. Racism has been ignored, its has been hidden, it has been acted out and it has been feared. Be it in sports, politics or business racism internationally must be addressed and how the private opinions of individuals must never be allowed to become the policy of abuse and tools of murder. 

In this season of great unveiling and potential transformation, we are surrounded by different voices calling out to us Covid 19 has unveiled many evils and the need to address these evils, be it racism, gender based violence or institutional failures around the world. 

The address of racism is the responsibility of every individual especially those in the religious fraternity. Christians communities currently feel shame at the reality of the deaths of black men and women, yet fail to reach out at private levels. The life of love calls for action, you can not pray love from a distance and yet ignore the person right before you. The good Samariten  and even the words of the apostles in Christianity call love, faith and hope without action dead.  It's the church that has for centuries fought against racism and yet also enabled it in through selective methods. It's the believers who are silent who have allowed evil to reign as much as the activists who select the causes that they defend. To defend humanity is to defend all of humanity not a section. 

So How will we respond to the call, will we be willing to stand against brother, sister, father and mother to defend the truth that every life matters. Will the women's movement move from the alter of suffering and recognise the need to fight racism even from within. Will the church not abuse scripture and seek to do nothing while blaming the devil and the world for everything. 

This season of unveiling has revealed the tragic suffering of many, the elderly who no one calls, the increase in gender based violence that is killing individuals and families in a private hell of their reality,  the institutional failures of leaders and the unwillingness of social responsible behaviour that puts people first. 

Yet this season has shown much goodness as many have risen to defend the weak, dared to report abuse and stand for those who can not do so. The call to arise is the call to live out love, all major faiths have a message of love and in the reality of the frailness of our humanity and the need for divine grace as the pandemic reveals that men is not all knowing, all powerful and all able. We see that relationships are the foundations of our existence and that without intentional effort to care for one another we are not truly able to live successful lives. For self-serving and self seeking will attain collateral damage and attract violence of sort. 

Racism questions every principle of human love, can love care for the other. Can love reach and accept the unknown. Can love rejoice in the progress and success of all or just for me and mine. The fear of racists is the love of self that leads to the harm of self and others. 

Let us dare to find healing by allowing this season of pain to scrub the centuries of silence, hiding and enjoyment abusive policy to allow intimacy, transparency and transformation the rebirth of a new world out of the ashes of our past sin. Its not about seeking that others join, take you first step and trust that truth and love, God's love that must be share towards another will cause others to dare to live out love in strong and peaceful manner.